A microscale mesh numerical method for simulating tribological characteristics of sealing materials. (28th March 2016) - Gong, Ran
Summary: A numerical method based on the movable cellular automata (MCA) is presented. The proposed method aims to investigate the tribological characteristics of polytetrafluoroethylene, polyimide, and polyetheretherketone sealing polymer materials in the microscale. The microscale frictional behavior and wear processes of four sealing materials are vividly shown through this grid method. The formation of a mechanically mixed layer is visualized, and the rotation angles of the automata and number of worn cellular automata are obtained. Friction coefficients of the four sealing materials are calculated and compared on a microscale mesh. Tests are conducted on a special test rig of the seal. Scanning electron microscopy investigations reveal the wear patterns of the four sealing composites. Results indicate that the MCA simulations are consistent with the scanning electron microscopy investigations in terms of the wear mechanism. The proposed MCA method can be used to investigate and compare the tribological characteristics of different sealing materials, which will significantly improve the efficiency of sealing material selection. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.